Good morning! Today is Saturday, May 23rd 2026, and this is The American Conservative's Morning Brief. Forty-five days into the Iran ceasefire, Tehran's terms remain unchanged as Rubio rejects an Iran-Oman proposal to charge transit fees through the Strait of Hormuz, while the Washington Post reveals the U.S. has burned through half its THAAD interceptor inventory defending Israel. Harrison Berger reports that FDD president Clifford May, whose think tank spent years lobbying for war with Iran, now admits he has no idea what to do about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—a consequence the Joint Chiefs chairman warned Trump about repeatedly before the strikes. Daniel McCarthy argues that Thomas Massie's ten-point primary blowout wasn't the work of pro-Israel billionaires but the predictable result of a congressman whose public persona on Israel, Epstein, and the deficit put him on the wrong side of his own party's base. and now for the details. We begin with the Iran war, now in the forty-fifth day of its ceasefire. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says indirect talks between Washington and Tehran have seen, in his words, "a little bit of movement." Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir traveled to Tehran on Friday to discuss the status of negotiations, while Pakistan's interior minister met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. As Harrison Berger reports, Iran's terms have not changed. Tehran is seeking sanctions relief, the release of frozen funds, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from areas near Iran, an end to the American naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and an end to hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon. The New York Times reports Iran and Oman are discussing a joint system to charge vessels fees for transiting the Strait of Hormuz—a proposal Rubio rejected as making any deal "unfeasible." President Trump has said he wants the strait "free." Berger notes the war's continuing toll on American readiness. The Washington Post reports the U.S. has expended more than 200 THAAD interceptors—roughly half its total inventory—defending Israel during the conflict, while Israel fired fewer than 100 of its own Arrow interceptors. One administration official told the Post, "Israel is not capable of fighting and winning wars on its own, but nobody actually knows this, because they never see the back end." Brent crude was above 104 dollars Friday morning, with the national average gas price at four dollars and fifty-five cents per gallon. Few think tanks have enjoyed more influence with the Trump administration than the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the pro-Israel lobby group founded by Clifford May. FDD spent years pushing for sanctions and military action against Iran. Now, with that strategy in effect, May admits he doesn't know what to do about the consequences. As Harrison Berger reports, May spoke at a Thursday lunch event and was confident on most points—urging more strikes, vouching for the popularity of Reza Pahlavi, son of the former shah. But when the conversation turned to the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil passes, May said simply, "I don't know what we do about that." The strait has been effectively closed to commercial traffic since U.S. strikes on Iran began in February. The U.S. has destroyed Iran's navy, but Iranian drones—some costing as little as three thousand dollars—have kept the waterway shut and insurance rates prohibitive. Berger notes that Americans are now paying 53 percent more for gas, and that the closure prompted the largest emergency release from global strategic reserves in history. According to the Wall Street Journal, Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine warned President Trump multiple times before the war that Iran would likely close the strait. Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center who resigned over the Iran strikes, said the entire intelligence community agreed. Despite the miscalculations, Berger reports, FDD's influence in the administration has only grown. Those are today's highlights. For the full stories and more, visit theamericanconservative.com. Thank you for starting your morning with us.
